The Fractal Design Era 2 retails at essentially $200 which puts it right where one should expect it in terms of pricing. For reference the Terra is cheaper, but not as capable, while other sandwich style SFF cases that include a PCIe 4.0 riser cable but no fans clock in at $170.

That said, while the inclusion of fans is a nice touch out of the box, as this is something that sets the case apart from the vast majority of other enclosures of this type, there is a reason that Fractal Design is doing so. The out-of-the-box thermals due to the active cooling are what you would want to see in general to allow for worry free and stable gaming sessions and not run into any thermal throttling. There are similar all mesh cases out there that manage lower temps without any active cooling at best or just a few degrees more at worst. The upside with enclosures like that is the fact that you have a path forward to improve cooling further by adding your own fans, but in turn this also adds additional cost to your build.

In terms of design and functionality Fractal Design has managed to achieve the same high quality we have seen with the Terra with the beautiful exterior, but even dialed it up a notch with the useful interior. Continuing to offer a flexible spine provides a sense of consistency we hope to see in future sandwich SFF cases from the brand. On top of that all the details from the modularity, cable management routes, rails on which some mounting hardware sits - these all come together in a cohesive fashion resulting in an easy, relaxed build, even with a 280 mm AIO. This effect can clearly be seen by the final product where cable management turns out to be clean and deliberate with all the major components remaining accessible and fans clear of potential interference by rogue wiring.

The Fractal Design Era 2 feels like it redeems the Era line a bit, offering a more compact case, with a well-designed sandwich form factor. While its fanless thermal performance baseline will likely not be able to best other SFF enclosures out there, the fact that the price tag already includes two 120 mm retail grade Aspect 12 fans results in a soft landing with functional thermals - even if that means you won't have much room for future improvements. So, the Era 2 is a big evolutionary step into the right direction for Fractal Design while still offering an unrivaled design to feast your eyes upon.